The United Arab Emirates has given great importance to the agricultural sector in general and to the date palm tree in particular, given its importance in the lives of desert dwellers, as it is the main source of food, shelter, tools for work and life, and part of the cultural and national identity. The UAE has also achieved a prestigious global position in this field for its constructive contribution to advancing this sector, preserving resources, and supporting food security, thanks to the vision of the award’s sponsor, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, “may God protect him,” through initiatives and events aimed at achieving sustainable development in accordance with the best international practices.
In celebration of the distinguished relationship between the United Arab Emirates and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and based on the directives and support of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, and the follow-up of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, the General Secretariat of the Award is working, within its strategic objectives, to develop the date palm sector in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan by launching a number of programs and projects to develop and advance this sector. The Jordanian International Dates Festival in Amman was the first success story of the Award on the land of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Within this promising vision, the award initiative comes to organize the Fourth International Festival of Jordanian Dates under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and in cooperation with its strategic partners in the Ministry of Agriculture in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (MOA), the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and the Jordan Dates Association (JODA) , in the Jordanian capital, Amman, during the period 18-20 October 2022, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) , the International Center for Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) , the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) , the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) , the Arab Center for Agricultural Research in Arid Areas and Dry Lands (ACSAD) , the Association of Agricultural Research Centers in the Middle East and North Africa (AARINENA), the International Network for the Development of Date Palm Cultivation and Date Production in the Middle East and North Africa (IDPGN), and the Friends of the Palm Tree Society in the Emirates (DPFS) , within the framework of cooperation between the two brotherly countries for this purpose.
This honor comes from His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, to emphasize the strong relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and to highlight the pioneering role of the UAE in supporting the agricultural sector, especially in the field of date palms. It also emphasizes the status of the award and its constructive role in developing and advancing the palm sector at the Arab and international levels.
Prof. Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid
Secretary-General Of The Khalifa International Award For Date Palm And Agricultural Innovation
